Tag: fishing report

Here is the post Irma Fishing Report! Irma passed, thankfully with minimal damage, and Anna Maria Island is nearly back to normal.

Post Irma Fishing Report

In the week following the storm, the water clarity was off as one would expect it to be after Tampa Bay was nearly emptied and refilled by the storm. The fishing is still lights out right now.

Lots of juvenile Tarpon around lately!

Snook

There are still a fair amount of snook stacked up off of the beaches right now, as well as back in some of the bigger inlet mangroves. There are quite a few reports of good redfish days out there as well right now so look to the mangroves at high tide and the flats at low tide. And don’t forget about docks. When using conventional tackle, use 20 lb. fluorocarbon leaders with size 4 hooks. Use large shiners for bait (plenty can still be found off the beaches right now).

If targeting these snook on the fly, your best bet is to hit one of the dock lights at night as there are a lot of them piled up there once the sun goes down. Use 20# leader and the smallest flies you have.

Tarpon

Also, if you can find the right spots (think tucked away), the sunset bite for juvenile tarpon right now is really kicking–and there’s no better way to hook them than on light tackle or on the fly! I keep my rigs the same as above using clean 20# leaders and haven’t had a problem keeping them on.

When fishing for these tarpon on the fly you’ll want to wait until you see a roll or a boil on the surface and cast immediately in front of it. Sight-casting has been far more effective than blind casting for these tarpon. Use a small or medium sized bait fish pattern and make every cast count.

Fishing on Anna Maria Island is always a popular activity. Recreational, sport and commercial fishing all take place around island waterways bringing a positive economic impact. There are plenty of charter boats for hire, and access to several different types of waterways. Mix that with perfect year round weather and you’ve found an anglers dream!

Fishing on Anna Maria Island

Provided below is a bevy of resources to make your Anna Maria Island excursion on the water one to remember. We have charters, places to fish, information about seasons, fishing reports from local captains, and everything you need to know about fishing while on Anna Maria Island.

Charters

Anna Maria Island has no shortage of boats for hire. There are dozens of local licensed Captains and boats outfitted for a day of fishing on briny waters. Here is a list of 7 Anna Maria Island Fishing Charters.

Places to Fish

There are several places for fishing on Anna Maria Island with the piers being the most popular for onshore catches. You’ll find several bodies of water located around the island. The Gulf of Mexico, Tampa Bay and Sarasota Bay are some great options along with the nearby Manatee River. Some folks like to fish off the beach, or the shallow grassy salt flats of the bay. The More adventurous will head into deeper gulf waters.

Reports

Check out what locals are saying weekly with up to date fishing reports! While the island has great fishing all the time, these will help you better understand what’s biting through the year. From Sport fish like Tarpon to tasty inshore fish like Flounder, these reports have it all!

Whether you live on Anna Maria Island all year, or just seasonally, you can always be sure the fishing will be hot.

It’s no secret that some of the most beautiful Gulf of Mexico coastline can be found on Anna Maria Island beaches. Powder white quartz sand, clear blue waters, exotic wildlife and endless sunshine make for the perfect place to relax all day and let your cares wash away.

Anna Maria Island Beaches

There are several things to keep in mind when visiting Island beaches. So, Island Real Estate has come up with our top ten list of things to know about Anna Maria Island beaches. From deciding which beach to visit to where to find parking, Here’s everything you need to know for fun in the sun.

Anna Maria Island has some of the Gulf of Mexico’s most beautiful powder sand beaches.

1. Sunblock

If you are a Floridian you have a complete understanding and respect for the necessity of sunblock. It only takes one really bad sunburn to learn your lesson, and no one should suffer from this mistake on vacation. Even on an overcast day it’s possible to get sunburned! It is extremely important to slather on the sunblock at least 20 minutes prior to heading to the beach to allow your skin to properly absorb sunblock. Be sure to reapply sunblock every few hours, especially on the kids. Don’t fool yourself into thinking that you are safe from the sun in the water; you still need to use every precaution to avoid a bad burn. In addition to sunblock consider a hat, sunglasses, lots of water for keeping hydrated and a loose fitting shirt to cover bare skin.

2. Places to Beach

Be sure to catch one of Anna Maria Island’s beautiful sunsets!

Anna Maria Island has over seven miles of beaches to explore, but finding the perfect beach for you is important for having the ultimate island experience. One great thing about Anna Maria Island is the abundance of public beach accesses all along the gulf and bay sides of the island; however, not all public accesses have available parking. With each beach offering a little something different, here are four options to better curate your beach excursion.

Manatee Beach

Manatee Public Beach Access is perhaps the island’s most popular, and therefore, busiest of beach spots. With just about all the amenities you could want for the beach, Manatee Public Beach is an island hot spot. Located at the very end of west Manatee Avenue, this public beach offers tons of free parking, lifeguards, bathrooms, showers, gift shops, concessions, changing rooms, free trolley and public bus stop, volley ball nets, tourist information, picnic tables under shady Australian Pines and a fabulously sandy playground for the kids. This Beach Access is truly the heart of the island beach scene.

Coquina Beach

Coquina Beach Access is located along the south end of Anna Maria Island running up the gulf side. This popular beach has tons of parking, grill and picnic areas, playground, lifeguard, bathrooms, trolley stop, concessions, and an absolutely gorgeous walking/bike path running along the sea oat sand dunes.

Bay Front Park

Bay Front Park Beach Access is located on the northern end of Anna Maria Island south of Bean Point running along Tampa Bay. This park has an updated playground, picnic grills and shelters, bathrooms, some parking, and nearby Trolley stop at the Anna Maria City Pier. The beaches are narrow along the bay side, but there are views of the Sunshine Skyway Bridge, Tampa bay and gorgeous sunrises.

Bean Point

Bean Point Beach Access is one of the most secluded and sought after beach destinations on Anna Maria Island. Parking is extremely limited making this beach more accessible by foot or via bicycle. Bean Point beaches are mostly deep and expansive with powder sand, sea oats, dunes and wildlife. Enjoy great views of Egmont key, Tampa Bay and the Gulf of Mexico.

3. Beach Safety

Beach Safety is an important thing to keep in mind when swimming and enjoying a day at the beach on Anna Maria Island. Be sure to observe all signs regarding swimming conditions including rip tide warnings. Look for one of the five colored flags posted to understand current swimming precautions.

4. Shells

Shelling and Beach Combing on Anna Maria Island is fun for all ages!

Beach Combing and shelling are a fun beach activity for the entire family when visiting Anna Maria Island. With so many different species of shells and wildlife you never know what you’ll come across when strolling the powder white sand beaches of the Gulf of Mexico and Tampa Bay. There are plenty of places to find shells on the island with some of the best finds washing up after stormy weather.

5. Beach toys

No matter how young or old beach toys are a must for the beach. Making sand castles with bucket and shovel, throwing around a Frisbee or clinging to a noodle; beach toys are always a fun addition to your beach trip.

6. Temperatures

Regardless of when you visit Anna Maria Island the weather and water temperature are almost always gorgeous. In the summer expect seasonal afternoon showers, and bath like water temperatures. Some visitors even swim in the winter, but we’ll leave that up to your judgement.

7. Turtle Season, Birds, Dolphins, and Wildlife.

Anna Maria Island is fortunate to be the year round, and seasonal home of many different species of wildlife. Each year between May 1st and October 31st we find several species of Sea Turtles coming ashore to lay eggs. In the spring and winter months Anna Maria Island is home to many birds nesting on the beaches including the stoic Black Skimmers and Least Terns. Sea mammals like dolphin and manatee can be spotted around Anna Maria Island at various times throughout the year. With so much wildlife it is important to respect these beautiful inhabitants.

8. Respect the beach – Clean up

The beach is a beautiful public place that must be cherished and protected. There are wrong and right ways to utilize this resource. When visiting the beach follow all posted rules, avoid feeding the seagulls and be sure to clean up all your trash and debris when you leave. It only takes two minutes to keep trash and litter off our pristine beaches!

9. Surfing

Anna Maria Island may not be the first place that surfers flock to for huge waves, but the locals still enjoy our laid back surf culture and climate none the less. White Avenue in the city of Anna Maria is one popular surfing spot. If you aren’t into surfing try out wake boarding during your stay!

10. Day Trip to Egmont and Fishing

Egmont Key Light house

If you are looking for a great place to bring your boat and go for a swim Egmont Key is always fun and beautiful. Located just off the northern tip of Anna Maria Island, Egmont is a great short day trip into bay waters.

Stay up to date with everything about fishing on Anna Maria Island on the Island Real Estate local scene blog page Fishing Report. From the Intracoastal waterway to the Gulf of Mexico and Tampa Bay there are plenty of great fishing opportunities.

When visiting Anna Maria Island be sure to stay safe, have fun, put on your sunscreen and enjoy lounging on beautiful Florida beaches!

Anna Maria Island Vacation Rental Homes and Accommodations

If you are looking for the perfect vacation rental home visit IslandReal.com today! Enjoy the largest selection of vacation rental accommodations to choose from on the island along with great customer service!

Anna Maria Island Club is a picturesque direct beach front condominium complex located in Bradenton Beach. Anna Maria Island Club 44 offers accommodations for up to 6 guests with balcony views of the gulf from both the living room and master bedroom. Click on the image above to reserve your stay at Anna Maria Island Club 44 today!

This week we have transitioned to a little deeper water with the Mangrove Snapper bite being the most constant around structure in water depths of the 10ft – 20ft range. Most days we are limiting out on Snapper. When we are fishing for Snapper we have been catching Gag Grouper in the 20″-25″ range (the season opens July 1st for Gag Grouper) along with Bonita, Kingfish, and some smaller sharks. The Tarpon bite has slowed down with most of the fish heading offshore to spawn, but we are still managing to hook and Jump Tarpon on the trips we are targeting them (Tarpon Video from this Week). The Inshore bite has been challenging at times and is remaining inconstant. This week we were in-between moon phases and the tide not really moving all that much, which did not help for the inshore bite. We are still managing to catch a lot of 25″ range Snook along grass edges in depths of 2ft-3ft (Snook Video from this Week) and keeper Trout on grass patches in 3ft to 4ft. The Redfish bite has been the most challenging. I’m seeing quite a few Redfish but they don’t seem to want to eat. I have tried all kinds of different methods/ presentations and the Redfish just have not been reacting or responding to much. Next week we will see the New Moon which will bring us better tides and the Inshore bite should get better. If you are looking to book at fishing charter or fishing trip and are near Anna Maria Island, Bradenton Beach, Holmes Beach, Longboat Key, Bradenton, Sarasota, St. Pete, or Tampa areas book with Anna Maria Inshore Fishing, LCC call Fishing Guide Capt. Kyle (941) 345-7182 www.annamariainshorefishing.com